Canadian RN looking to move to California

[RNjetsetter]

Hello there!

I am a RN (BScN) looking to move to California. I've graduated ~2 years ago and have about 1.5 years of fertility nursing experience.

If anyone knows anything about this niche area of nursing in California, as well as the chances of being employed/getting California state licensure, I would very much appreciate your guidance!

[SionainnRN]

California has about a 47% unemployment rate for nurses. It's worse in the popular urban areas like San Diego and San Francisco. Whatever you do, don't move till you have a job.

[NedRN]

Citation please? California uses thosands of travel nurses and many of them go staff every year.

[SionainnRN]

Citation please? California uses thosands of travel nurses and many of them go staff every year.

For nursing jobs, new grads need not apply - Jan. 14, 2013

43% new grads unemployed 18 months after graduation.

All you have to do is look on here at all the nurses with experience having a hard time finding a job. Yes CA uses tons of travel nurses because they aren't hiring staff nurses. Jobs are easier to find in rural areas but in metro areas they are very hard to come by, despite all the postings.

[NedRN]

Your link is almost two years old and for new grads only. While this is an unusual position unlikely to posted for travel, the easy route to a job in California is to start as a traveler (also no new grads) and go perm. There are actually lots of California jobs including the big cities but they are indeed difficult to get without starting as a traveler.

That said, in the last couple of months, the postings for travelers have increased dramatically. That will soon increase the number of open direct staff jobs.

As it happens, 20 years ago I was a new grad in California and was also unable to get a desirable job in a mild economic depression. So I found my first (and only) staff job in another state. Lots of opportunities now if I ever wanted to be staff now that I'm no longer a new grad.